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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28909449">Run, little deer, run.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alfer/pseuds/Alfer'>Alfer</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Changeling: The Lost, World of Darkness (Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, The Hedge doing it's weird thing, but it also wants to help, it does kind of want to eat the protag</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:21:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>750</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28909449</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alfer/pseuds/Alfer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"I knew living with a bunch of goody-two-shoes would be my death. Like fuck I would have done something this dumb when I had just come out of all these damn Thorns."</p><p>A changeling flees the persistent chase of the Huntsman, and gets help from an unexpected source.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Bulletproof 20/21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Run, little deer, run.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimaracretak/gifts">kimaracretak</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The baying of the hounds reverberated all around her. Aren didn’t know where she could hide, how much more she could take, but she did know one thing: She could not stop running, not for hell or high water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The hooves her Keeper had oh so diligently carved her feet into helped now, making her agile and fast, best adapted to finding her way through the undergrowth of this portion of the Hedge. Ironic, that what the bastard had molded her into now made it more difficult for its servants to recapture her. The irony would have made a smile appear on her face, if she wasn’t so desperately out of breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How the fuck was she going to get out of this one? She had, likely very stupidly, separated from her motley, leading the huntsmen away from Gaje, dumb asshole who just had to get wounded fighting some hobgoblins, and from the others.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I knew living with a bunch of goody-two-shoes would be my death. Like fuck I would have done something this dumb when I had just come out of all these damn Thorns.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the faster of the briar hounds, coming close enough to nip her legs. She let it almost bite, only to bring her leg back into a vicious kick, the sound of splintering wood and the pained whimper making satisfaction bloom for a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Only enough to make the booming sound of the Huntsman’s horn hit harder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was close, if she turned her head, Aren could have seen it. She did not turn her head. Finding some last boost of energy, she ran desperately into the Thorns.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Better if I end here, let the Thorns take me, but I’m not going back to the Dancing Lord, not ever again.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She closed her eyes, and waited for the end.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A second passed, then another. Then finally a minute. By the third, the furious beating of her own heart had subsided enough that Aren could focus again. Which she would have done, if there was anything to focus on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aren stood in a clearing now, which was definitely not where she had run into. There were thorns, and they had drawn blood, but she didn’t feel any less like herself than usual.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>More importantly, there was no sign of the hounds or of their hunt master. The only sound she could discern was the wind making the leaves on the trees rustle. There was something vaguely familiar about this part of the Hedge. Maybe the tall oak where the tree-line began, or…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, she had been here before. Aren’s heart clenched painfully in her chest, memories she’d rather forget jumping to the forefront of her mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was the clearing she had hidden in for a long time, or what felt like a long time, after she had escaped. There had been food always on hand, delicious goblin fruit she’d never seen anywhere else. A small stream was hidden somewhere a little deeper into the trees. Or it should be, at least.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hastily, Aren took the small token she had with her, nothing but a cheap trick she got from an Autumn witch, as well as the candies she always kept in her pockets. She placed them reverently near the oak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, thank you? Look, I’m not good with words, but you helped me a lot before, and I think you just saved my ass right now, so yeah, thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aren’s hooves beat the ground, nervousness making her even more fidgety.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A soft thump was heard somewhere to her left. Aren looked, only to find another of those unique goblin fruits, seemingly just fallen from one of the trees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled, sent another thanks to the clearing, and bit into the fruit. The juices ran down her chin, matting her fur, and she devoured it eagerly after the first taste. In no time, strength came back to her limbs, the exhaustion of a long chase evaporating.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, could you help me find my friends? I hate them but I love them and I don’t want them getting hurt.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aren closed her eyes for a second, and when she opened them again, there was a path between the trees. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What do those Autumn jerks know, I told them some parts of the Hedge are on our side! I’m coming back here the moment I get the guys back to the Freehold. Holy shit these fruits are great.</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>God I want to play Changeling the Lost so much right now, it's not even funny.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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